Abbey House Boarding Accommodation Student Guide 2019/20

Abbey House Student Accommodation Guide Homerton Gardens Cambridge CB2 8EB

ABBEY COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE 2019-20

Abbey House, Homerton Gardens, Accommodation Guide

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WELCOME Welcome to Abbey House Boarding House!

I hope you will be very happy with your accommodation while you are studying at Abbey College Cambridge.

Abbey House offers a friendly and well-located home for our students. It offers a balance between socialising with other Abbey students and allowing students to have a place to study outside of the classroom.

We hope that you find this booklet helpful for settling in as well as understanding what is required from you.

Enjoy the year Dr Julian Davies Principal, Abbey College Cambridge

Helen Wilson Director of Boarding Welcome to Abbey House! Your boarding experience is very important to us and we hope you are happy here. We will provide you with all of the support, experience and opportunity to grow into confident, resilient and independent young adults. We expect you to participate as a member of our very special community and look forward to learning more about you.

Abbey House, Homerton Gardens, Accommodation Guide

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Contents

Welcome from your Principal and Director of Boarding

2

Statement of Boarding Principles & Practices

4

The Boarding Team

5

Boarding House Rules

6/7

Activities, Rewards and Sanctions

8

Complaints and Compliments

9

Boarding house charges

10

Morning routine, curfew and weekend absence

11

Weekday and Weekend Routines

12/13/14

Abbey House facilities

15/16

Health and Safety

16/17

Medical care and Illness

18

Medicines

19

Term dates

20

Useful Information

21

External Support

22

Places of Worship

23

Local shops and amenities

24

School shop

25

Map of Abbey College Cambridge

26

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Yazmine Williams Head of House, Abbey House I am so excited to welcome you on your wonderful journey here at Abbey College! It is my job to ensure your wellbeing, safety and most importantly your happiness here in Abbey House! I will be there for all of your amazing achievements but I will also be there if ever you find yourself in need of support. Myself and the houseparent team work to make sure that the Abbey House community remains vibrant and uplifted but in order to do so, we need your help! It is my expectation that you will join in with boarding activities, trips and huddle events and be an all-around active member of the community. I look forward to the upcoming year with you all!

Statement of Boarding Principles & Practice Boarding Aim "To build a safe & happy community where our students can develop the skills needed for future independent living, within a professional, supportive & nurturing environment."

Abbey College Cambridge aims to provide boarding facilities of the highest standard to allow students to thrive in their educational studies. We give our students an appropriate degree of independence while monitoring and being supportive of a healthy and safe lifestyle. We also take great care to help our students to adjust to being away from home, for what may be the first time.

The ethos is of mutual respect which is maintained throughout the school and boarding and at all levels from the staff and students.

Our students are cared for by members of the Boarding Team who live in Abbey House and who are available to help our students at all times outside of the school day. They take their meals with the students, organise social activities and are on hand for support and advice.

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The Boarding Team Your Boarding Team will: 

Ensure all students are happy and healthy and that all rules are followed



Look after the welfare of students while in the boarding house



Ensure students receive morning wake up calls and leave the site by 08:45am



Carry out room inspections



Make sure students are in their residence by curfew and in their rooms at bedtime



Encourage everyone to become part of the Abbey Cambridge Community



Ensure all students receive an induction in how to access and use on site facilities



Recognise, reward and celebrate the success of students



Manage discipline and sanctions

Contacting the Abbey Team The Abbey House team are on site and available to you 24 hours a day. You can contact the team by visiting the boarding desk or calling the duty phone.

The Abbey House duty phone number is: 07387 108982 In an emergency you can also contact the emergency phone on: 07584 705720

If you are struggling to understand any aspect of this handbook and require a translation, please ask the boarding team for an alternative document.

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Abbey Boarding House Rules 

Respect staff and other boarders



Students should actively contribute to the Abbey House community by taking care of communal spaces and taking part in activities



All accommodation floors are single sex occupancy; no student should enter a floor of the opposite sex. Students from other accommodations are allowed to visit, however must remain in the communal areas



No smoking anywhere in the building - you must use the allocated smoking area, and be of the legal age specified by UK law



No alcohol is to be brought onto Abbey House site and students are not to return to Abbey House intoxicated



All medication must be stored in the medicine cabinet in the boarding office



You must not tamper with any of the fire equipment, signs or medical boxes



Boarding houses are closed during the school day, boarders must leave on time and register in the morning



You must sign in/out when leaving Abbey House site



You must be in your residence for curfew and your own room for bedtime



No guests are allowed in the building without staff permission and must be signed in. The HP have the right to refuse visitors



Students are not allowed to keep more than £50 in their safe or on their person



Students are expected to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at their allocated times.

Take away is not permitted during the week



You must keep your room clean and tidy (the cleaner will clean but only if they can access your room, it is not their job to tidy your room)

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

No candles or tea lights anywhere on the site



No loud music



Always lock your door if you are not in the room



Doors must be closed at all time. Do not prop the doors open at any times as they are fire safety doors



Corridors must be kept clear to allow exit in the case of fire



Do not use portable electric heaters in your bedroom



Overuse of laptops and computer games after curfew will result in items being taken by the boarding team at curfew. This will be at the discretion of the Head of House.



Students must follow the guidance when requesting weekend leave. Exeat may be granted by the Boarding team dependent on behavior, attendance and academic progress. Exeat requests must be received by the Wednesday prior to the leave date.

As well as the above, you are expected to follow instructions and requests from the Boarding team at any given time.

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Activities, Rewards & Sanctions Rewards & Sanctions We want to support an active, inclusive and happy community in Abbey House, and we want to celebrate your success! We encourage working together as a group/community and such instances deserve praise. For example, if you keep the Boarding House and your rooms clean and tidy, if you help the house parents plan and organise activities, or you get involved in community volunteering we will celebrate.

The Boarding Rules are in place to keep you and the rest of the house safe, support your learning and to comply with UK law. If you break the rules the boarding team will meet with you to discuss your behaviour and agree a plan of action for future compliance. If you continue to break the rules, you will incur sanctions and be referred to the Head of House, your parents will also be informed.

Student Voice There are lots of ways of getting involved at Abbey, it is important that students can make their voice heard and their contribution count. There are various ways Abbey College Cambridge facilitates this:     

Student Council Student Surveys Suggestion Box House Meetings One-to-One meetings with teachers/tutors/mentors

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Complaints & Compliments If we are doing something well and you would like to see it continued or developed, please do tell us, everyone likes a compliment. If there is something we could do better then please tell us either informally or through the complaints procedure.

Informal Complaint If you have a complaint about your accommodation and home, you should initially speak to a member of the boarding team.

The member of staff will consider how to resolve the complaint most effectively. They will discuss this with you and, during term time, will try and resolve the issue within five school days of the complaint being made.

If the boarding staff member is unable to resolve your complaint you should make a formal complaint to the Director of Boarding, Helen Wilson in writing or by making an appointment to discuss the matter.

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Abbey House Charges and Fines 2019-2020           

Full room deep clean - £150 (excluding carpets) Carpet clean/ Bathroom floor polish - £75 Replacement carpet - cost of replacement at the time of the damage Damage to walls (dents, scratches, holes and staining) - £150 plus cost of repainting Redecoration/repaint due to non-standard wear and tear - £300-£1500 dependent on room size Removal/disposal of items left behind at end of school year - £50 per bag Damage to furnishings, appliances, bathroom and kitchen fixtures and fittings and doors/locks - cost of replacement at the time of damage Replacement of broken or lost kitchen and bathroom items - cost of replacement Tampering with smoke alarm - £300 and possible legal consequences Smoking in room - £50 fine + £150 deep clean Tampering with window restrictors - £150

For twin rooms, the student responsible will be charged. Any joint damage or cleaning charges will be split 50/50.

Smoking is prohibited by law in virtually all enclosed and substantially enclosed work and public places throughout the United Kingdom. (Health Act 2006) Misuse or removal of fire safety features and equipment or non-compliance with essential fire safety instructions will not be tolerated in and may be treated as criminal offences.

The accommodation deposit paid by your parents and held by Abbey College will be used to cover minor expenses incurred by you, the student (for example the cost of repairing damage caused by you). Your parents will be informed about these charges as the money will be removed from your account. If the accommodation deposit held is not sufficient to cover the cost, your parents will be invoiced.

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Morning routine & curfew All students will receive wake up calls at the beginning of term. You will be given the opportunity to display independence and those that are punctual and able to get to school independently will no longer receive them.

Curfew and bedtime rules are displayed on the door in all rooms and must be followed at all times. Staff will knock on your door at curfew to check you are in your room, if you are not there then the missing persons procedure will be followed.

If you require an extended curfew for a particular event this can be requested and will be granted at staff discretion. If you wish for an early curfew you can speak to the staff in the office.

Weekend Absence Students may sometimes ask for permission to stay away overnight; however your parents or guardian must give permission for any overnight absence from Abbey House. The permission should be requested by Wednesday on the week of absence and an email must be sent to acc.AH@abbeycambridge.co.uk detailing the dates of your absence and the name, address and telephone number of the responsible adult you will be staying with. Overnight absence is a privilege and will be granted at the discretion of the Head of House and will be dependent upon attendance, behaviour, academic progression and if they are requested for an activity in the boarding house.

All students must return by curfew on Sunday evening.

Date of absence Name of adult student is staying with Contact number of adult Email of adult Address of adult Relationship of adult to the student How student is travelling to address Expected time of return

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Weekday and weekend routines Daily routines vary depending on student age. Routines also vary on weekdays and weekends. Please see the information in the box below for your age.

Students aged 12-15

Weekdays

Breakfast (all students to be seen and to register at breakfast)

07:15-8:45am

End of day sign out

4:15-4:45pm

Clubs/prep/free time

4:20-7:30pm

Dinner

4:45pm-6:30pm

Prep/free time (Monday – Wednesday)

7:30-9pm

Independent study (Thursday – Sunday)

As required

Curfew (all in Abbey House)

7:30pm

Bedtime (no noise)

9:30pm (Sunday – Thursday)

Students aged 12-15

Weekends

Breakfast (all students to be seen and to register at breakfast)

08:00-10am

Clubs/activities/events/free time (maximum of 4 hours at a time)

08:00-8:30pm

Lunch

12:00-1:30pm

Dinner

4:45pm-6:30pm

Curfew (all in Abbey House)

8:30pm

Bedtime (no noise)

10pm (Friday and Saturday)

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Students aged 16

Weekdays

Breakfast (all students to be seen and to register at breakfast)

07:15-08:45am

Leave for school (boarding house closed until 415pm)

08:45am

End of day sign out

4:15-4:45pm

Dinner

4:45-6:30pm

Supervised prep (Monday –Wednesday)

7:30-9pm

Independent study (Thursday – Sunday)

As required

Curfew (all in Abbey House)

9pm

Bedtime (no noise)

10pm (Sunday – Thursday)

On the weekend, a different routine is in place.

Students aged 16

Weekends

Breakfast (all students to be seen and to register at breakfast)

08:30-10:00am

Clubs/ activities/ events/free time

08:00-9:30pm

(maximum 4 hours at a time—must sign out) Prep (as required)

1-3 hours per day as needed

Dinner

4:45pm-6:30pm

Curfew (all in Abbey House)

9:30pm

Bedtime (no noise)

11pm (Friday and Saturday)

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Students aged 17+

Weekdays

Breakfast (all students to be seen and to register at breakfast)

07:15-08:45am

Leave for school (boarding house closed until 415pm)

08:45am

End of day sign out

4:15-4:45pm

Clubs/activities/free time

4:20-7:30pm

Dinner

4.45pm-6:30pm

Prep (as required)/free time

7:30-9pm

Curfew (all in Abbey House)

9:30pm

Bedtime (no noise)

10:30pm

Students aged 17+

Weekends

Breakfast (all students to be seen and to register at breakfast)

08:00am-10am

Clubs/ activities/ events/free time

08:00 – 10:30pm

(maximum 5 hours at a time—must sign out) Prep (as required)

1-3 hours per day as needed

Lunch

12:00-1:30pm

Dinner

4.45pm-6:30pm

Curfew (all in Abbey House)

10:30pm

Bedtime (no noise)

11pm (Friday and Saturday)

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Abbey House facilities Abbey House provides a well-located home for our students, immediately adjacent to the main teaching buildings, and a fifteen minute walk into Cambridge City Centre.

The boarding houses offer you a balance between socialising with other Abbey students, and allowing you to have an ideal place to study outside of the classroom.

Your individual accommodation is of a very high standard, with your own furnished bedroom and en suite shower room. The staff at Abbey House will offer and run a program of activities to make sure you get the most out of studying and living in the UK. This will include home based study and weekend leisure, sports and cultural activity programs.

Bedroom Always make sure your bedroom door is locked when you leave. Abbey College Cambridge cannot take responsibility for your personal possessions if you fail to lock your bedroom door.

Internet The wireless facility is available for you to use throughout Abbey House. Ask a member of the boarding team for the details you need to connect or review the poster in the common room/kitchen. The internet will be turned off in the evening at 11pm and back on in the morning at 7am.

Kitchen You will be allocated a cupboard in the kitchen/common room in which to store dry food items. You can store perishable food in the student fridge; any food that has passed its Best before Date will be thrown away by the House Parents. Abbey House is full board; however there may be times when you want to prepare your own light snack. You must be aware of potential burn risks to yourself and other students when using the kitchen, for example steam and hot dishes from the microwave.

The kitchen has a dishwasher; you will be expected to help keep the kitchen clean by ensuring crockery and glassware are washed after use and loaded into the dishwasher.

Prep time Supervised study will be from 7.30pm-9pm in the dining room Sunday – Thursday.

During allocated study time, communal areas are not available for the watching of films or playing games.

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Bedding Your bedding will be changed once a week. All linen is sent out to the laundry company. You will be allocated a day each week when you can wash and dry your clothing and towels. A member of the boarding team will show you how the washing machines and tumble driers work. An iron and ironing board are also available for your use.

Health and Safety Personal Possessions There is a safe in your wardrobe for you to use. Please follow the instructions on how to use your safe located above it. If you are still unsure then please ask a member of the boarding team.

Security Your student ID is also your room key and access card to other parts of Abbey House and the school. Do not lose your key card. If you do lose your key, please inform a member of the boarding team immediately.

In the evening the external doors will be locked, no student is permitted to leave the premises after their curfew time, unless there are previously agreed or exceptional circumstances.

First Aid There are general, eye and burns first aid kits in the kitchens. If you have an accident please inform a member of the boarding team; they are trained in First Aid. Electrical Safety If you have bought electrical equipment from home you must use an appropriate adaptor. You must ask permission to use additional or trailing sockets as doing so may overload the system and present a fire risk. Please only use adaptors bought in the UK. The boarding staff will check your equipment and may have to remove items which are dangerous. Rice cookers are not allowed in Abbey House in bedrooms or kitchen/common rooms. Students should ensure they turn off electrical items such as hair straighteners and laptops when they leave for school in the morning. If found, such items may be removed by boarding staff.

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Fire If the fire alarm sounds, leave the building immediately by the nearest fire exit, do not stop to collect your belongings or finish what you are doing. Please make sure you are aware of where all the fire exits are in the house. The boarding team will run a practice evacuation. Portable heaters are not allowed in bedrooms. If you are feeling cold in your bedroom we can provide you with an additional blanket or duvet. Electric bed blankets are not permitted.

See fire assembly point below:

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Medical Care & Illness Please contact the Boarding Team day or night if you are feeling unwell. 

During induction, the school Matron and the Boarding Team will help you register with a General Practitioner (GP/Doctor).



If you are unwell outside of College hours (in the evening, at night and before 8am), you must tell the boarding team. They will care for you and arrange medical advice and treatment.



If you are unwell, you must telephone reception 01223 578280 before 08:15am on school days and report your absence. You should also call the Abbey House duty phone or find a member of the boarding team. Your absence will not be authorised until you have been assessed by the Matron.



If you are unwell during college hours, you must tell your teacher or Reception, they will refer you to the Matron in the Medical Room.



The boarding team and College staff are trained in First Aid, and are the first people to turn to in the case of illness or accident.

These are the times the Medical Centre is open to see the Matron without a pre-arranged appointment:

08:00 – 08:20 08:40 – 08:55 before registration 11:00-11:20 during break 12:30 – 13:30 lunchtime

Please report your need to see the Matron to the Reception staff and they will book an appointment and give you a slip to show to your teacher to leave the class.

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Medicines ·

All medicines and homely remedies should be shown and given to the boarding team within upon arrival, students will sign a disclaimer to advise they have declared all medicines.

·

Only students who have medicines prescribed and authorised by a doctor with prior parental permission received, will be allowed to keep their medicines after meeting with Matron. All other medicines will be stored by the boarding team and given back to students either at the end of term or at the end of their time studying with Abbey College Cambridge.

·

Medicines not authorised for use in the UK, will be safely stored by the boarding team.

·

Students in need of medicine will have an appointment arranged with the GP as a priority to get a prescription for UK licenced medicines.

·

Students must not share or lend their medicines to other students.

·

Medicines should be stored safely, locked away and secure.

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Term Dates 2019/20 Autumn Term 2019

Start of term Monday 2nd September (New Students) Monday 9th September (Returning Students)

Half Term Monday 21st October – Friday 25th October

Last day of term Thursday 12th December Students must leave their rooms by 9.00am Saturday 14th December 2019

Spring Term 2020 Start of term Monday 6th January Students may move into their rooms from Saturday 4th January 2020

Half Term Monday 17th – Friday 21st February

Last day of term Thursday 2nd April (All students except January start A-Level students)

Summer Term 2020 Start of term Monday 20th April

Half Term Monday 25th May – Friday 29th May

Last day of term Thursday 25th June Students must leave their rooms by 9.00am Saturday 27th June 2020

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Useful Information Emergencies & Health Care Fire Ambulance Police

Dial 999

The operator will ask you calmly to say which service you require. You will then be transferred and you will be asked to state your name, address you are calling from and telephone number BEFORE they ask you about your emergency. Please do not worry about this. The services will have already been sent to your location.

Abbey College Cambridge Emergency Phone (24 hour response in the case of emergencies)

07584 705720

Parkside Police Station (Cambridgeshire Constabulary)

Dial 101

General Practice (Local Doctor, Woodlands Surgery)

01223 697600

Emergency Dentist (Out of Hours Dentist)

01223 723093

NHS Direct (telephone health information

111

Regent Street Dental Practice

01223 355923

Pharmacies For advice on common problems, minor illness and over the counter medicines: Boots Cherry Hinton Road

237 Cherry Hinton Road

GFT Davies Pharmacy

50 Hills Road

Boots Newmarket Road

320 Cambridge Retail Park (open until late)

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Advice and Counselling Choices (Sexual Abuse)

01223 358149

Childline

0800 1111

Private Counselling is also available via the pastoral team – this is strictly confidential, please speak to Matron.

Also available in school:

Student Support Worker (Independent Listener) Monday to Friday– 5pm to 7pm.

Lee Parker – Performance coach Betty Ko – Chinese speaking Counsellor

Students can also contact the following for advice and guidance;

The Office of the Children’s Commissioner 020 7783 8330 www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk

The National Children’s Bureau www.ncb.org.uk

Childline www.childline.org.uk MIND www.mind.org.uk

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Places of Worship 

Quakers, Friends Meeting House, 12 Jesus Lane, Cambridge CB5 8BA



Baha'I Faith, 27 Worts Causeway, Cambridge CB1 8RJ



Arbury Community Church, 263 Arbury Road, Cambridge CB4 2JL



Unitarian Church, Emmanuel Road, Cambridge CB1 1JW



Eden Baptist Chapel, Fitzroy Street, Cambridge CB1 1ER



Wesley Methodist Church, Christ’s Pieces, Cambridge CB1 1LG



Our Lady & The English Martyrs Roman Catholic Church, Catholic Rectory, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 1JR



Abu Bakr Jamia Mosque, 1a Mawson Road, Cambridge CB1 2DZ



Beth Shalom Reform Synagogue, Auckland Road, Cambridge CB5 8DW



Buddhist Centre, 38 Newmarket Road, Cambridge CB5 8DT



Korean Church, 43 St Andrew's Baptist Church, Cambridge CB2 3AR



Cambridge Chinese Christian Church, see website for details, www.cccc.org.uk

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School shop and local amenities Living and learning in Cambridge is a privilege as there are so many things to see and do. Your boarding team will update the notice boards regularly with information on what’s going on in the local area.

For your ease there is a small selection of products available from the school shop based in reception, see price list on following page. The Co-operative, Sainsbury’s and Tesco are all good supermarkets and are located on the leisure park at the top of Purbeck Road where there is also a cinema, bowling, gym and restaurants.

Cambridge has two main shopping centres, The Grand Arcade and The Grafton Centre. If you need any help or advice on the local amenities, please ask a member of the boarding team.

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Abbey Cambridge Student Shop - Price List Edding Handwriting Pen HB Pencil -

£1.00 25p

Sharp Calculator -

£2.70

Casio Scientific Calculator -

£7.20

Highlighter Pen -

35p

Note Pad (small) -

£1.50

Pukka Pad Note Pads (medium) -

£3.00

Pukka A4 punched notepads -

£4.00

5 Star Rubber -

65p

Q-Connect Shatterproof Ruler -

50p

Compass -

50p

Protractor -

50p

Aloe Vera/Kleenex Tissue {pack of 1} -

30p

Always/Lil-Lets Sanitary Towel -

£1.50

Tresemme Shampoo -

£1.30

Head and Shoulders Shampoo -

£1.30

Original Source/Sanex Shower Gel -

£1.20

Milton Travel Anti-bacterial Gel Hand-Wash -

£1.50

Nivea Small Deodorant (Male) -

£1.50

Dove Small Deodorant (Female) -

£1.50

Toothbrush Colgate Toothpaste Water -

50p £1.20 25p

Travel Blue UK Travel Adaptor -

£4.00

Duracell Batteries AA {pack of 4} -

£2.50

Duracell Batteries AAA {pack of 4} -

£2.50

Fairy Washing Machine Tablets {pack of 2} -

50p

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NOTES

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